The True Classic formula you can steal today

Welcome back to Nice Ads, the only newsletter that breaks down the creative strategy behind some of your favourite DTC brands.

This week we're going to be talking about:

• Why your creator choice is so important.

• How you can sell anything with the right marketing.

• The secret to creating hooks that increase watch time.

Before we move forward, remember my ad creative agency Fraggell is always looking for new brands to work with. So if you're spending around $70k on paid media and need some help lowering your CPA, then click here. 

Kolkata Chai

👉 Watch in full here

I wanted to share this UGC ad that we created for Kolkata Chai, as it perfectly sums up the idea that if you have a great script and a great creator, the outcome will be better than any other type of ad.

The script that the creator is saying is fairly straightforward and standard when it comes to UGC. However, the way she delivers it, along with her personality and expressions, really help bring the script to life.

I know I've probably spoken about this before, but casting is one of the most vital parts of any UGC video and can make or break the performance.

And this is where I feel AI UGC falls apart. Although it's easy and cost-efficient, you lose a lot of the personality that comes with a great creator or actor. And sometimes that can be what makes a bad ad a good ad.

So when you're casting, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind:

1. Performance: Can this person deliver my script in a relatable and authentic way?

2. Demographic: Does this person fit into one of my target demographics?

If you nail both of these, then you're going to have a good video.

If your brand is looking for some UGC like the example above, then feel free to apply to work with us here.

True Classic

👉 Watch in full here

True Classic is the king of DTC. I've spoken about them a couple of times, but the way that they’ve managed to reframe the plain t-shirt is incredible. At the end of the day, they are selling one of the most basic clothing items. But because of the way that they've marketed it and the angle that they've taken, they've managed to sell millions of units.

And if you've been following them for a while, then you'll see that their marketing hasn't changed over the years. They still use the same angles and selling points, recycling and recreating similar ads. The example above is possibly one of their most tried and tested angles. You will find your boyfriend more attractive when he's wearing a true classic tee. You're appealing to the men's want to feel attractive and exploiting that to get them to buy t-shirts.

And this is my point: when you find angles and concepts that work, don't feel bad about reframing them and recycling them. Always go for the low-hanging fruit first. If you review their ad library, you can see that they are testing new ideas, but they still rely on old, familiar concepts that they produce at scale.

Don't try to fix something that's not broken.

TLDR:

• When you find a winning concept, don't let go.

• The product isn't always as important as people say.

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Looking for more?

Here are 4 ways I can help you 👇

• Fraggell - Looking for ads that turn scrollers into customers? My performance ad creative agency has delivered high-convert ads to brands like ALOHA, Chomps, and Nailboo… It’s worth your time to apply today to see if you're a good fit.

• The Ad Creative Course - Want to learn how to make converting ad creative yourself? Join over 100 students who are already learning with the help of my course. Grab your place today.

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Buoy

👉 Watch in full here

I think this is such a clever idea for a creative, and it tickles a psychological principle that I don't think people even realise is being used.

Let's break it down: We’re listening to the creator speaking to us in a different environment. We're so accustomed to seeing people stand in front of a camera talking in their living rooms that having someone drive and talk to us at the same time is a welcome change, making the video much more watchable.

The next point is all about watch time. One of the key ways to make people watch any video for longer is to open a loop. That means to open something that has a clear ending. People will watch the video to see the ending so that they have a natural closure in their mind. And this is exactly what they do in this ad.

The creator asks us to come with her to get coffee, and then we go inside the car and see that she's driving somewhere. We then stick around to watch and see if she goes and gets coffee, and what the outcome is.

It's a really simple principle, but it's actually behind a lot of the most successful videos that you'll watch. One person who does this really well is MrBeast. He always teases something that's coming up further in the video to increase watch time. He's opened the loop, and the only way to close it is by watching the video.

TLDR:

• Use hooks to open loops to increase watch time.

• Pick a unique location for your UGC creators to speak in.

That's all for this week's Nice Ads. Appreciate you taking the time to read this. Remember, if you have enjoyed it, why not forward it to a colleague and share the love?

I posted a new YouTube video this week, which is a complete static ad masterclass. You can watch that here.

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